Herbert Zachl, Austrian member of The German Chekhov Society visiting Taganrog.

January 21, 2017: Herbert Zachl, Austrian member of The German Chekhov Society visited the home city of Anton Chekhov on January 20-25, 2017.

During this visit Mr. Zachl participated in the meeting with students of the Adolf-Reichwein-school of Lüdenscheid and German-speaking students from the Taganrog Municipal School No. 6, which was followed by an interview for Taganrogskaya Pravda newspaper and the local TV channel. Herbert Zachl told the story of searching and finding his father's grave and about growing contacts and friendships with Taganrog.

Herbert Zachl at the meeting between Lüdenscheid and Taganrog school students.

Earlier, the Austrian guest initiated many official and cultural exchanges of Austrian delegations to Taganrog and Taganrog delegations to Austria, among them an official visit of the Austrian ambassador Mrs. Margot Klestil-Löffler in 2013, visits of he famous Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer Gerhard Wagner, and of ORF TV channel reporters in 2010 and 2013. Herbert Zachl initiated the visit to Taganrog of the Austrian folk choir "Singkreis Windischgarsten" who performed in Taganrog Gorky Park, and in 2011 he contributed to planning two concerts of Taganrog municipal choir LIK in Upper Austria.

During his visit in January 2017, Herbert visited the historic Old Christian cemetery, Saint Pavel of Taganrog Chapel and the Russian Orthodox church of All Saints.

"In the meantime Taganrog became my second motherland, and I am planning to visit this city until I am alive. Many people in my home town now want to come along to visit Taganrog", Mr. Zachl added. He plans to visit the city again in fall 2017 with a group of Austrian citizens.